The Death of Jesus
c29 AD
29 29
35.16E31.47N
MISC

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL
	Jesus was not of noble birth or from a wealthy family.  He was a Jew born in Bethlehem in Israel somewhere between 6 to 4 BC, the son of a carpenter.  But though he was never wealthy or of high rank, though he never commanded an army or ruled a country, his life changed the world.
	According to the New Testament, Jesus performed miracles, gave instructions on living and had conflicts with religious authorities, the last of which led to his death by crucifixion at about age 33.  But far from being a defeat, the New Testament says Jesus' crucifixion was his greatest triumph, after which he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven.
	Jesus summarized his teaching on how to live when asked which was the greatest commandment.  In response he quoted from the Hebrew scriptures: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."  And, he said, the second greatest commandment is, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
	Though much of the Christian scriptures are about Jesus' life, it is his death that is central to Christianity.
	Death is the divine punishment for sin, the New Testament says, but because God is merciful, Jesus took the death penalty upon himself for sinners.  A central requirement of Christianity, therefore, is for people to ask God for forgiveness of their sins through Jesus' sacrifice.
	Today, Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with 1.7 billion adherents worldwide.